1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to transporting bulk material and refers more specifically to a system for transporting bulk material in a container including unique retainer structure for retaining the end of a flexible liner supported in the container, which system is capable of being packaged for commercial air shipment as baggage. A unique tubular frame for supporting the liner within the container is utilized in one modification of the system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, structure for transporting bulk material has been described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,386,605, 3,696,952, 3,868,042 and 3,951,284. Such structure in general includes a flexible liner positioned within a container, one end of which is secured in the container by a retainer.
Prior liner structure has been secured to the container by adhesive on the side walls of the container and/or by resilient straps secured to the top of the container and secured to the liner. The adhesive material is messy to clean up and is, therefore, objectionable. The straps are objectionable in that they must be manufactured with the liner or may become lost from the liner. Also, considerable time is required in hanging the liner from the straps.
Further, prior structure for transporting bulk material has included a single retainer extending across the entire end of a container and as a result has been relatively heavy, difficult to transport for re-use, and expensive. Further, prior retainers have sometimes been constructed integrally with liners and are therefore not generally reusable. Also, in the prior art, structure for removing the bulk material from the container has not been sufficiently rigid to permit ready removal of bulk material from the container and has not been so positioned in relation to the retainer and the positioning of the retainer to permit complete emptying of the liner within the container readily.